Children's Oncology Group

A new immunotherapy treatment for advanced Hodgkin lymphoma raised survival rates to 92%, suggesting it could become the new standard therapy. The treatment, which combines chemotherapy with immunotherapy nivolumab, was found to reduce long-term side effects and improve outcomes for pediatric and older patients.

Nicholas Cost, MD, becomes the first surgeon to chair the Renal Tumor Committee for the Children’s Oncology Group, overseeing pediatric kidney cancer research. Cost has been a COG member for 15 years and aims to advance personalized treatments, improving cure rates from 30-40% to over 90%. His role involves nurturing future leaders and planning future clinical trials proactively.